Voting-machine lock



' Feb. 3, 1931 A. GUSTAVSON venue MACHINE LOCK Filed Oct. 28 1925 I]? v /7 I7 o /5 22L i0 13 f 3% L ZfiT Z7 \*/6 ..J I 29 1/ 1 A9 22 2 swoon l'oL Quota;

Patented Feb. 3, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALVIN N. GUSTAVSON, OF JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO AUTOMATIC BEG- ISTERING MACHINE COMPANY, INC., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK VOTING-MACHINE LOCK Application-filed October 28, 1926. Serial'No. 144,869.

This invention relates to an improvement in voting machines, and more particularly to means for preventing unauthorized unlocking and operation of the machine.

This invention. relates to an improvement upon that shown in the patent to Lausterer, No. 1,189,838, in which means are provided to lock the entrance knob of a voting machine, so that after the polls are closed no more votes can be recorded.

In the patent above mentioned the entrance knob, which must be raised before each votin o-eration is ada ted to be locked b a i key controlled mechanism. Such mechanism, s moreover, is so constructed that anyone obtaining possession of the key could unlock the machine, and add any number of unauthorized votes after it has once been locked. The primary object of this invention is to eliminate this possibility by the use of mechanism, other than that set forth in the patent, which coacts with a moving element of the machine, so that after the key has locked the entrance knob, any unauthorized unlocking thereof will be prevented.

Other objects of this invention reside in the details of construction set forth in the following specification, and in the drawings which form a part thereof, and in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the locking mechanism, embodying this invention, in the position it occupies before the machine is unlocked, prior to the opening of the polls; Fig. 2 is a similar view after the machine is unlocked, the full lines showing the parts before any voting has been done, and the dotted lines, the parts after the first vote has been recorded; and

Fig. 3 is a view of the locking mechanism with the entrance knob locked after the polls are closed.

In the use of voting machines it is customary to provide a final lock or custodians lock, the key for which is held by the city clerk or the custodian of all the machines in the city. This need be unlocked only after the polls have been closed, and the vote taken, except under extraordinary conditions. It is not essential to the operation of the ma chine.

In addition to the custodians lock there is also another lock, the key for which is held by the election oflicer in charge of the machine and by which the machine is unlocked when the polls are open and locked when the polls are closed. This lock controls the entrance knob above mentioned, and the present invention is directly connected therewith.

The locking mechanism embodying this invention and designated on the drawings by the reference numeral 10 is mounted in a part of the machine, to Which access can be had only by unlocking the custodians lock. Preferably, as shown in the drawings, the mechanism 10 is mounted on the inner face of one of the side walls 11 of the machine casing.

Mounted to reciprocate adjacent said wall 11 are an operating bar 12, and a releasing bar 13. The operating bar 12 is guided by a pin 14 through a slot 15 in the bar 12, and makes a complete reciprocation at each operation of the machine. Projecting from the inner face of the bar 12 is a pin 16, the function of which will be set forthhereinbelow.

The releasing bar 13 is guided by pins 17 and operated by a knob 18 known as the entrance knob, which must be raised before the voter can cast his vote. The knob 18 is on the outside of the machine at the end of apin 19 fixed on the'bar 13 and projecting through a slot 20 in the wall 11 of the casing.

As in the Lausterer patent the entrance knob 18 may be locked in the position shown in Figure 1, by means of a bell crank lever 21 pivoted on the wall 11, and actuated by a link 22. The link 22 is connected with a bolt 30 by means of a pivot 31. The bolt 30 constitutes part of the key operated lock 23 and when the lock is actuated, the bolt 30 causes a certain movement of the link 22 and lever 21, this movement being clear from an examination of Figures 1 and 2.

Pivotally mounted at one end on the lower arm 24. of the lever 21 is a plate 25 having a notch 26 midway the length of its lower edge, while at the other end is pivoted a finger 27. A flange 28 at the end of the plate 25 near the finger 27 limits the movement of the finger between the positions shown in the full and dotted lines on Figure 2. On the wall 11 is provided a peg 29, on which the plate 25 rests when the knob 18 is unlocked, as in Figure 2, and which receives the notch 26 when the knob 18 is looked as in Figure 3.

The locking mechanism just described functions in the following manner. Before the lock 23 is operated to release linob 18 the plate 25 is swung upwardly by the custodian or person having authorized access to plate 25 and the linger 2'? straightened, so that it rests on the pin 16 on the operating bar 12 and lifts the notch 26 from the peg Figure l.) The machine is then Led by the custodian and when the polls is unlocked, 'aising loci opened the lOL the link and oscillating the lever 21, so that the arm 2% releases the knob 18, leaving the arts as n full lines in l igurc Upon the nrst reciprocation of the operab ing bar 12 the plate 25 is swung upwardly on its pivot until the pin 16 passes out of contact with the finger 23". The plate 25 drops back n the peg 29 and the finger 27 swings clownvardlyinto the dotted line position shown in Figure 2. Further operation of the bar 12 does not interfere with the plate 25 or finger VJ hen the polls are closed the lock 23 is locked lowering the link 2 and swinging the lever 21 back to the position shown in Figures l and S to prevent any reciprocation oi the bar 13. When this movement of the lever 21 takes place the plate 25 is advanced until the notch 26 is above the peg 29, over which it drops as in Figure 3. This obviously prevents any turning of the lock 23, and hence prevents any further operation of the machine due to locking of knob 18 until the mechanisn'i has been reset, which can only be liter access to the casing or" the machine has "son had by the custodian.

While this invention has been shown and described as applied to a voting machine it is obviously capable of a broader application and hence applicant is not limited thereto nor to the particular embodiment shown and described.

i-laving thus set forth my invention, what I claim new and for which I desire protection by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine having an enclosing casing, a reciprocable bar, means outside said casing for raising said bar, means inside said casing and actuatable from outsidesaio casing for holding said bar against movement, and means pivotally mounted on said holning means for locking said holding means in the iunctionin position, said locking means being releasa ble only from within said casing.

2. In a machine having an enclosing casing, a reciprocable bar, means outside said casing for raising said bar, means inside said casing and actuatable from outside said casing for holding said bar against movement, and means including plate pivotally mounted on said holding means for locking said holding means in the functioning position, said looking means being releasable only from Within said casing.

8. In a machine having an enclosing casing,

a reciprocable bar, means outside said casing for raising said bar, means inside said casing and actuatable from outside said for holding said bar against such increment, second movable bar having a projection thereon, and means for locking said holding means in the functioning position, such means being releasable only from within said casing and being held by the projection on seco llltil 'j'cliltlifi, prior to the iii 5 said second bar.

:1 niachi" e having an enclosing casing, able bur, moans outside said casing said bar, means inside id able from outside saiu casing for holding said her against such movement second movable bar having a projection the; r on, and a plate pivotally mounted on s holdin means for locking said holding means in the runctioning position, such plate be releasable only from within said being held by the projection on sale second fill 1H0 VC- bar inoperative prior to the first movement of said second bar.

I. 1 {m1 h i 1 i o. n a Lianne i aving enclosed mechanism, including a bar and means outside said machine i'or raising said bar, a lever for holding said bar against movement, mechanism for shifting said lever into the holding position, a plate pivoted upon said lever and having a notch therein and a peg carried by said machine, on which said plate rests when said lever is in the inoperative position, and with which said notch engages when said lever in the holding position to lock it automatically therein.

.Tn testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

ALVIN N. GUSTAVSON.

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